1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to that field of devices consisting of articles of manufacture known as security bags. Specifically, the instant invention is a security bag having a closure flap configured to be initially releasable such that no liner is required, then permanently sealable.
2. Background Information
The prior art known to applicant discloses that permanently sealable security bags are well known. These bags are often constructed of a sheet of high strength plastic which is folded over onto itself, or from two or more separate sheets, forming opposed front and rear panels. Three of the four side edges of the plastic sheets are then sealed using heat or other sealing means to form a bag having an opening at one end. At the open end, one side of the security bag is used as a "flap" and a "receipt". The flap is eventually folded down over the opening of the bag, and sealably attached to the bag such that the bag is permanently sealed. The receipt, left unbent, is then perforated so that it may be torn off later. An example of this sort of security bag may be had by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,196, issued to Edelman et al. on Jul. 10, 1990.
Prior art bags have also been constructed as above, but additionally, they may be sealed along the fourth edge as well, and then be slit on the front or rear side. The slit provides access to the interior of the bag, the slit being located in close proximity to the flap used to seal the bag.
Unfortunately, these bags utilized a securing means, often taking the form of a strip of adhesive material, which was then over-coated with a strip of pliable material referred to within the trade as a "liner". This liner was placed over and in contact with the adhesive material to prevent that adhesive material from coming into contact with, and prematurely fastening to, the security bag.
This arrangement is satisfactory enough when security bags are used on a small scale. However, for those consumers who routinely handle large quantities of these bags, the liner presents unwanted difficulties. First, each time a bag is to be used, the liner must be removed prior to closing the bag. The user of the bag must get a finger nail, or other thin object between the liner and the adhesive strip. Once a handhold is gotten on the liner, it may be easily peeled free from the adhesive. Unfortunately, the user of the bag now finds him or herself with a useless liner strip in hand. This liner strip must now be disposed of.
As was noted above, while these difficulties are of lesser consequence to the small scale user, they can become quite burdensome to the large scale user. If many bags are to be sealed during a set period of time, the time lost on peeling each liner strip off quickly adds up. Furthermore, while it may be a simple enough matter to just throw away a few liner strips, large scale users suddenly find themselves having to dispose of great piles of these useless strips. The end result of such prior art security bags is an incredible amount of lost time, and greatly increased trash disposal costs.